230 



To my inquiry regarding the varieties of trees attacked, Mr. Pritchard 

 kindly replied under date of Jul}^ 6 : 



In only a very few instances do I find that the saw-flies attacked other trees besides 

 the willows. On three or four tender cottonwoods I find they worked as if by mis- 

 take. The willows Beem to recover and the gash cut by the insects heals over, but the 

 Cottonwood breaks off". 



The only instance where this cuttiug habit of the adult saw-flies had 

 been observed, so far as I can learn, is recorded in the Report of the 

 Commissioner of Agriculture for 1884, i^p. 334-6, Plate V, Fig. 1. In 

 this case the depredation occurred on the grounds of Admiral Ammen, 

 in the vicinity of Washington, D. C, only the willows suffering, but so 

 great was the injury that the trees were described as looking as if a 

 fire had run over them, or as if they had suffered from a severe frost. 



The twigs of willow accompanying Mr. Pritchard's last communication 

 resembled in every respect those figured in the report above referred 

 to, although it would appear that in his case the injury resulting from the 

 attack of the saw-flies was much less than in the case of Admiral 

 Ammen.* 



This cutting of the bark of the trees could have had nothing to do with 

 the ovipositiou of the insect, as the eggs are deposited in slits cut in 

 the leaves by the females. It seems quite possible that they gnaw the 

 bark for the purpose of feeding upon the sap, as intimated by Mr. 

 Pritchard, yet this does not appear to be fully proven. In other words, 

 it would as yet be too much to say that in cutting the incisions the 

 insect has no object in view other than that of obtaining food. 



OBSERVATIONS ON MONOMORIUM PHARAONIS LATR.t 

 By M. A. Bellevoye, Reims. 



Almost all the old habitations of Reims are infested with a little red- 

 dish ant, the Monomorium pharaonis Latr. These little insects visit 

 without ceremony our tables ; they haunt the side-boards and cup- 

 boards which contain eatables; the sugar-box, preserves, and meats 

 are attacked by these small guests which do not ask leave to settle 

 in your house. Their havoc, indeed, does not appear very important, 

 notwithstanding their great numbers ; but it is always disagreeable 

 to find animate beings in one's eatables. It is, therefore, necessary 

 to take vigorous measures in this regard ; to kill them or use j)henic or 

 insecticide powders which drive them away from the places where they 

 abound. The majority of people know only the neuters of this species. 



* We have since shown, Insect Life, Vol I, p. 8, that the larger share of the dam- 

 age at Admiral Ammen's was done by Phylloecus integer and not by the Cimbex. 



t Translated and condensed from Annales de la Soci6t6 Entomologique de France, 

 sixth series, Vol. VIII, 1888, fourth trimestre. Bulletin, pp. clxxvii-clxxxi. 



